The Russellville Democrat., 1887-06-29
A PUBLIC ADDREss.
An Open Address 0alI Lovers Oi Education in the State of Ar
 kansas.
Prepared and Promulgated by the Trustees of the Arkansas
 Industrial University.
To the People of Arkansas

Industrial University. To the People of Arkansas:
 FELLOW CITiz EMS The board o trustees of the Arkansas Industrial University, recently appointed to re organize the institution in accordance with the late act ofthe general assem bly,, have approached this duty not only with an earnest intent to make of the university what 1t was design ed to be, both by tue congress and by the State legislatures agricultur- al and mechanical college--but also with an equally earnest desire to use whatever of discretion we pos sess towards making it an institu- tion of learning in all other branch es usually appertaining to an uniyer sity course.
 We have given to the agricultural and mechanical department the fore most rank, but ill obedience to the act of donation by congress, we have at the same time retained the class les and modern languages
 Whatever may be the interpreta- ton of the act of the legislature, whether it intended that those stu dents who pay for tuition in the lan- guages should be required to work a part cfeach day or not, in the exer- else of our discretion and in the in- terest of equality and harmony as well as of proper education, we have ordained that all students shall be equally called to do shop or field work as the parent or guardian may elect.
 We have abolished the system of fees for diplomas and made tuition as nearly free as is consistent with fair interpretation of the law.
 That the benefits of the university may reach as many as may desire them we have arranged that vacan cies from counties which do not ask their full quota of beneficiaris may be filled from any other county ask ing more than it's share.
 We have sought to give the insti- tuition faculty whose experlence of the past as well as their apprection ofpublic sentiment, at whose bidding the organization is made, would seem to render them particularly fit ted to inaugurate the new regime.
 The unexpected resignation of President Edgar leaves vacancy which. whether induced by the small amount of salary allowed by law or by. whatever other motive, we are not without hope of filling at an ear. ly day and with q president not only fully qualified, but one whose heart will be in the reorganized work.
 We have taken steps to have such dormtories erected as will afford the students, or a large portion Of them, an opportunity of securing board and the comforts of we'll ordered home at a minimum cost.
 But the task before us and to which we have given cordial efforts is one whose difficulties we may not conceal. Nor would we be entirely candid if we failed to confess that chief of our difficulties is the paucity of funds.
 Few departments of wei. regula- ted government or of we'll regula- ted family are more expensive than the proper education of the young, but no possible expenditure of mon- ey yields so abundant fruitage. It is capital to youth that cannot be measured in dollars and cents, alone, and that should be not only access ible to all, but the neglect to obtain which should be held as only less than crime.
 It is Tn this spirit and with this that we have addressed to the work assigned us.
 In thus laying before the public the results and intent of our lahors, we cannot refrain from an appeal to the pride and patriotism of Arkan- sas.
 During the recent commencement exercises of this institution, one of | the young students, MT. c. w. War 1 ren of Independence county, made | use of the following appeal to State pride:
 ''Full many a gem of purest ray serene
 The dark piney back woods of Arkan-
 sas bear,
 Full many boy is born to blush un-
 seen
 And waste his sweetness know 1
 not where!''
 
 "The State should have too much | pride to suffer such condition.
 "The State should have too much | pride to force her youth to go to oth- CT States for education because oth- CT States offer superior schools"
 To this sentiment we heartily sub scribe.
 There is no just reason why Arkan-